“All you need to be a soccer parent in Vancouver is a golf umbrella,” muses Colby Fackler. Anyone who has spent time pitch-side knows that a good drenching is in store without one — and certainly, a warming cup of coffee would be welcome, if indeed hard to find. Until now.

The idea for Cafe Racer was born beside the soccer pitch on a cold winter day while Bronwyn and Colby Fackler watched their two boys play. Fackler thought how nice it would be to have hot coffee available and became interested in the business opportunity. He could see a somewhat captive customer base, with more customers coming through at every game change, all day long, as a new group of parents arrived.

He got in touch with Vladislav Priadko, owner of locally based bike manufacturing company Coffee Bike. Priadko’s company is the builder behind these specialized coffee bikes, and they also operate some that are stationed on the seawall. Coffee Bike has provided bikes all over Canada — and as far away as Peru — and provides access to a community in which owners can share feed-back and troubleshoot issues.

The bike itself is quite a thing. It houses a fully functioning professional pull-down espresso machine and coffee grinder. There’s a propane tank to heat the water, refrigeration to keep milk cold, and storage for cups. All in a compact trailer, pulled by a bike.

Fackler, a salesman by profession, says the toughest sale was to his wife, Bronwyn, a teacher and vice principal. The couple already had full-time jobs and active busy lives while raising two boys, so adding in a side hustle was something they had to think about. Ultimately, the rationale came down to the benefits it would have for their family. “It’s a fun side-opportunity, but it’s a good opportunity for the boys to see how you can create your own future,” he explains.

Indeed, Quinn, 13, and Trent, 10, are learning valuable business lessons. Both help out on the bike, taking payments while also gaining exposure to business fundamentals, learning about things like profit and loss.

It also keeps the family active. “We do have a larger trailer to carry the bike to remote locations, but we try to bike to most places,” Fackler says. Quinn and Trent follow behind on their own bikes and work shifts at Riley Park Farmers Market, with Bronwyn filling in as necessary.

When it comes to the coffee he serves, Fackler sought out one of his favourite Vancouver roasters, Timbertrain, and found the perfect match for customers in their Assembly blend, which the roaster describes as having “flavours of dark chocolate, cocoa nibs and hazelnut.”

To get started, Fackler did training with Coffee Bike and then let loose on friends and family, setting up outside their house and giving coffees away for practice.

Now you can find them on Saturdays at Riley Park Farmers Market or at a soccer field near you.

Cafe Racer
caferacercoffeebike.com | @caferacercoffeebike